Venables was never comfortable with the label. He knew his youngsters had the ability to make an impact in the old First Division but he also knew there would be a cooling off period when a reaction would set in.
"I didn't like that 'Team of the Eighties' bit," he said. "We didn't give ourselves the tag and of course when things went a bit wrong people started giving us stick."
Venables left early in the next season. "And it hurt," he said. "We had a bad start and then Jim Gregory, the chairman of Queens Park Rangers, told me he wanted me at Loftus Road. I was upset to leave.
"But what I do remember is that Palace are a club with loyal and passionate support. They will turn up in their thousands given just a bit of encouragement. If they do beat West Ham and go up, they will be supported alright.
"But these days in the Premiership it is all about finance. If they do go up they also need the get everything in place off the field. I do wish them well."
